Video: LCD vs. Plasma

From the Crutchfield Archives

LCD and plasma are the two most popular TV technologies. Learn about the pros and cons of each so you can decide which one's best for you.

Steve: I'm Steve. I'm here in the Crutchfield studio to talk about the differences between LCD and Plasma TVs. Both LCD and Plasma TVs will give you a bright, detailed picture, and of course they also have a slim design that allows them to be set on a stand or hung on a wall.

Plasmas are known for their smooth motion, rich colors, and impressive contrast levels. If you're considering a plasma, there are two things to keep in mind. First, they're not available in smaller screen sizes, just 42" and larger, so they're generally not a good fit for small spaces like a kitchen. Second, some plasma screens may reflect room lights. This isn't going to be a problem in many rooms, but if you have a room with a lot of lamps and windows you'll want to turn the lights down and pull the curtains.

So how do you know if a plasma is right for you? If you want a movie theater like experience in a dim or darkened room you'll appreciate plasma's fluid motion and true to life color.

As we've said, LCD TVs also offer a bright, clear picture, plus many LCDs have anti-glare screens that cut way down on room reflections, so they're good for brighter rooms. However, some LCDs don't have quite the same richness of color and deep contrast as plasma. Overall, LCDs are good all purpose TVs. They offer the widest range of sizes and look good in bright settings, so they can work well in any room, plus some top of the line LCDs give you smooth, plasma like motion. To learn more about plasma and LCD TVs you can visit crutchfield.com/LCDvsPlasma, or you can always call us at 1-800-555-9408.

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Crutchfield Writer Biography

Steve Kindig

Steve Kindig has been an electronics enthusiast for over 30 years. He has written extensively about home and car A/V gear for Crutchfield since 1985. Steve is also a volunteer announcer in the folk department of community radio station WTJU, where he is one of the regular hosts of "Atlantic Weekly."